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7.24.2017

Make it Monday // How to Make & Use a Mala Neckalce for Mindfulness

A big part of my personal mediation practice is to use a Mala necklace, or mediation beads, to help reinforce the mantras & vision I've chosen for myself. Using meditation beads is a great habit to get into especially if you find your mind wanders quite a lot during mediation. You may find having a manual way to focus your thoughts will help center you better.

While meditation isn't about the absence of thought, sometimes when I find I am very, very busy my mind seriously wants to think about every single thing I need to do. Counting the beads & repeating a mantra keeps my intentions in line. You can buy a Mala aligned with your intentions, I have quite a few (because they are both helpful and pretty) or you can take it to the next step and make your own.

What is a Mala?

A Mala is a string of 108 beads + one guru bead (or a fraction of this number). Usually strung into a certain pattern, the Mala is used to pace & count off the recitation of a mantra during mediation. They can be made for specific intentions - Rose Quartz beads for love, Howlite for calming & awareness, etc - or can be made & programmed for your own intentions. Most often there is a knot between each bead so if the Mala breaks beads don't scatter. It's also a good sign if your Mala breaks. You've made a breakthrough & have been seeing through your intention.

How to make a Mala

In this case we won't be tying a knot between each bead. This Mala DIY is made to be simple yet elegant to get you into reciting and working towards your intentions. I plan on sharing a more focused DIY Mala in the future. But the whole point here is that you don't have to do these long drawn out things to start with your spiritual & mindful practice.

Cut a length of the embroidery thread about 36 inches long, thread the needle and double over the entire length of the string. Leaving about a 4 inch section empty, begin threading the beads onto the string in the following pattern:

Thread the larger bead on both ends of the string and tie an overhand knot. Depending on the opening on the larger bead you may need to tie a few knots.

Take the other skein of embroidery thread and fold it over on itself to create a tassel. Tie the middle of the loop to the end of the larger bead using the two strands hanging from the bead. Wrap the two long strands around the tassel to gather it together. Using the needle. thread the end behind the wrapped string leaving a small loop. Pass the needle through the loop to secure. Tie a not to ensure it does not unravel.

How to Program & Use your Mala

To cleanse your Mala, you can start off with the same idea behind the Energy Clearing kit. Choose the intention you'd like to set - this can be different for each time you meditate if you wish. Again, this ritual can be as involved or as simple as you'd like.

You don't need anything special to do this. In fact, the ritual should be unique to you and be what you feel most connected to. Here is my simple ritual -

Cup the Mala in your hands as if you are praying & hold it up as if you are offering it. I tend to bow my head and place the thumbs of my folded hands against my crown chakra. Imagine a white light enveloping the beads, cleansing them of past energies and aligning them for your highest good. Take a few deep breaths during this process. Recite aloud or in your mind an intention you'd like to work towards for your highest good. As an example:

I cleanse this Mala to use for my highest good as I work towards self love.

Substitute self love for any intention - I wish to be open to abundance, I wish to express my authentic self, etc. As you pass your folded hands from your Crown Chakra to your Heart Chakra breath out and across your beads. Sweeping away the negative energy. Pull your folded hands towards your chest and lift your head towards the sky to be open to receive the guidance you wish for.

I find that I do this often with crystals as well...and it's something I just fell into once during a crystal meditation. I hadn't brought any of my crystals to this class (silly me!) so I was able to work with a beautiful Aqua Aura Quartz that belonged to the teacher. After I picked it up I just imagined clearing it that way....and that's what I did. Clearing & connecting with your spiritual tools is a personal journey. There's no right or wrong way to work with what you feel drawn to.

So, now during your meditation you can pick up your Mala and count off your recitations. Hold the Mala in the hand your feel comfortable and as you recite your mantra (aloud or in your mind) pass a bead between your fingers. I usually hold the remaining beads in the hand that isn't counting so they don't rattle, fall, or get tangled. If you're not sure of a mantra to use consider printing out the Positive Affirmation Deck for free on the blog or you can even purchase my new Chakra Affirmation deck here!

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Your meditation practice should be unique to you. I chose to create this Mala DIY with wooden beads as they can be the most receptive to your intentions. If you choose to work with a certain crystal or even a certain color tassel to align with your Chakras, that is completely up to you! I also use essential oils when I'm meditating. There are certain oils that correspond to our Chakras but there is also some intuitive work that can be done. Check out the free getting started guide above to learn how to use Essential Oils Spiritually.

1 comment:

I love the idea that "your meditation should be unique to you". Sometimes it feels like those that meditate believe there is one way to do that and as an outsider and someone that does not regularly meditate, I feel out of place trying...but you make me feel more open to trying! :)

Hi there, thanks so much for taking the time to comment. I love &value each & every one! If you have a question, I will respond as soon as I can. Don't be afraid to shoot me an email! If you have a blog, I will pop on by :)

H E L L O ! !

I'm Moe, a 9-5er, Southern at Heart, Indiana transplant & sweet tea enthusiast who believes she should try her hand at something new every day. Five Sixteenths is a blog about living a fulfilling & creative life one moment at a time.